Second Chance
by Calyptra
Summary: Catherine Chandler is not the woman everybody thinks she is. She is not only a young and ambitious cop, she is much more than that. Who is the stranger who tries to uncover her secret? Will he risk his own secret in order to get to the truth? In Metropolis Clark Kent still saves the day. But Lois and him still haven't made the next step. How will fate bring these people together?
1. Prologue - Fresh start

_**Second Chance**_

**a.n.: Hey guys! I know I haven't finished 'Reversed' (Beauty and the beast) yet, but I couldn't wait to write this one since I got the idea.**

**WARNING: I am a HUGE Lana-fan, so if you hate her you might come to a point where you won't enjoy this story anymore (she won't be mentioned in the early chapters)**

**If you continue though and feel the need to let your hatred out, feel free to private message me. I'll be happy to analyse why I believe she is amazing and better for Clark than Lois (I only refer to Smallville, not to comics etc).**

**Further I am also a fan of Clark, so don't hate if I get carried away.**

**The main reason I an writing this is because I get the opportunity to bring Cat and Lana, two of my favourite female characters in the same story.**

**Last but not least it might take a while until Smallville is really present. There is a reason behind it so forgive me and continue reading until you get there.**

**Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters (from Smallville and Batb) etc mentioned in this and in further chapters of this story. They belong to their rightful owners. I do though own the idea to this fan fiction, so refrain from copying. If it sounds familiar to something you have read it is by coincidence.**

**P.S. Catherine's past does not exist in this story as it does ****in the series. Vincent didn't save her, something else happened that night. To match my story, the incident with Catherine's mother happened in 2008, when Catherine was 20 years old. Cat and Lana look a lot alike. Vincent has the same past apart from saving Catherine.**

**Smallville exists up to the point where the marriage was ruined in 2010.**

**So don't get confused if the story differs from the series.**

**Enjoy and let me know!**

**Prologue- Fresh start**

Catherine was on her way to work. She barely had time to get a coffee. It was her first day at the precinct, she didn't want to be late. She just graduated. She was 23, at least that is what her ID and her license said. She was young, her life was ahead of her. Her new life. At the precinct she was greeted by Tess Vargas. She was going to be her partner. Seemed to be a tough girl, she already liked her. Joe Bishop, her boss, also seemed to be alright. She never thought she would be a cop someday, but there she was, Detective Catherine Chandler. This was now her only way to do what she promised to do, help saving the world, far away from home, in New York City. She probably would never see home again. Well everybody who met her, thought that NYC had always been her home, so who knows someday she might actually believe it as well. The days passed and she was actually relieved being still able to do good. It was her life now. Tess told her that many men looked after her on the streets and even in the precinct. She couldn't care less though. There was only one man she belonged to and with him she couldn't be. She tried to forget but you don't just forget about a perfect man. She tried to get over him but her heart longed to see him again. It didn't matter though. Now that she could be with him again he had moved on. She wouldn't intrude in his life. He deserved to be happy, even if it wasn't with her. She just had to accept for one more time that the man of her life wasn't ment to be hers. Another woman was lucky enough to have him.

'Has anybody ever told you that you look incredibly sexy when you are thinking', a British voice interrupted her thoughts.

Evan, the last person she needed now.

'Evan, has anybody ever told you that your pick up lines are horrible?', I frowned.

'Oh come on, Cat. You don't even give me the chance to show you my skills in flirting', he poutted.

'We've got a case', Tess interrupted them.

'Thank you', Catherine mouthed and hurried behind her partner.

Why didn't men get it? She didn't date. She only had one mission: to make him proud.

A tall man hid in the shadows as he watched the two women run to their car. He didn't seem very pleased.

**So what do you think? What is it with all these confusing thoughts? Who is the man from her past? Who is the man in the shadows?**

**Do you want me to continue? I know the notice was longer than the chapter, but I think it was important. It won't be like that in the future I promise. And the chapters will be longer whenever possible.**


	2. Chapter 1- Mind your own business

_**Second Chance**_

**Hello, guys! Thanks to the ones who made the effort to commend. It really felt good as this story doesn't seem to be as popular as my first. I did expect this though. This is just a story I **_**had**_** to write as a gift to myself. The end of it is very clear in my head but I am still playing with my options on how to get there.**

**This chapter will be painful to read. At least to some of you, others will probably party. Anyway, please have faith in me and don't stop reading. I **_**promise**_** that it will pay out, I won't disappoint you.**

**Chapter 1 – Mind your own business**

* * *

Catherine had just exited the Chandlers' residence. Family dinner; she grimaced at this thought. Well, at least she_ had _a family to eat dinner with.

It had been 3 weeks since she started working at the precinct. It wasn't exactly what she was used to but it was definitely something. The weekends were spent so far with Heather and Thomas. She was so grateful to them for supporting her.

With these thoughts she made her way to her car through the darkness. Most women would have been too scared to walk alone in this part of the city. The Chandlers appreciated some distance from the busy center of New York City so it was pretty lonely. There was a time when she, too, would have looked behind her back afraid of whom she might face there; that was a long time ago, though. There was a reason why she had become a cop. She could take care of herself; she wasn't a helpless woman anymore.

Reaching her car she started searching for her keys in her purse. Before she could succeed however, someone grabbed her and pulled her to the nearest alley. She was slammed roughly against the wall and a husky voice hissed in her ear, 'Who are you?'

The voice was low but still demanding. Catherine tried to recognize the face, but failed. The alley was well chosen- pitch-black. In addition her attacker had pulled his hoody deep in his face and was looking down carefully hiding his features. He was pressed very tightly against her body not giving her many options to act due to lack of space. His hand was placed at her throat, ready to put pressure on it if necessary.

'Never mind, you chose the wrong woman, buddy,' she thought to herself as she slammed her heels of hand on both his ears with as much strength as possible. Her eyes grew wide. He didn't even flinch. How could that be? She had used enough force to send him wincing and seeking to find his balance. Who was this man?

'It will take more than that,' he snarled, 'who are you?'

'Shouldn't I be asking that?' Catherine all but spat 'After all _you_ are the one almost strangling _me.'_

'And that is exactly why I am the one asking the question,' he clarified, 'now don't make me ask again.

'Catherine Chandler, NYPD,' she said through her teeth.

'Catherine Chandler is dead', he stated.

'Last time I checked, I was still breathing,' she said sarcastically.

'Last time _I_ checked, Catherine Chandler wasn't,' he countered, 'she died at her graduation. I was _there.'_

'Well, many people died this awful day. You obviously mistook me for someone else,' Catherine suggested calmly.

'Don't lie to me! I was inches apart from her face. She fell right in my arms. I checked her pulse,' he snarled once again. For a moment Catherine saw his eyes glow yellow, but then as he composed himself they turned back to their normal color, which Catherine could not identify in the darkness.

And that is when realization sank in. This was the man who killed the shooter. Catherine swallowed. Her face didn't betray the many thoughts going through her head.

'So this is what this whole show was about? Is it your way of complaining that I took all the glory from you,' once again sarcasm was evident in her voice. 'You actually should be thanking me. You would be sitting in jail right now.'

'It was self-defense,' he said trying to remain calm.

'Sure. But until that was proven you would be dragged to interrogation rooms and even to court,' she pointed out, 'and you don't want that, do you? Isn't it too much attention for a guy like you?

Catherine was challenging him on purpose. She knew that there was something different about him. She never expected to find something like that in NYC, but here he was. By the look on his face she knew that she had hit a nerve. Now she was looking at him with piercing eyes hoping she would intimidate him enough to drop this case. Well, she hoped vainly.

'Tell me who you are, 'he pressed after taking a deep breath and thinking for a second.

'Why don't you just mind your own business?' she snapped at him.

'_Tell me!_', he almost shouted.

'Do you want an ID to believe me?' she questioned.

'That wouldn't do any good considering the fact that you look like her twin,' he responded still waiting for an answer.

'Than how do you explain that I was just leaving my father's house after dinner. Don't you think he would have known if I wasn't his daughter?' she tried to reason with him.

'Maybe you fooled him. But you won't fool me!', he hissed.

If it was just a common man she would have kicked his ass and left him here wondering. She would have intimidated him so much that he would have dropped it. But he wasn't just a common man. She saw the flash in his eyes before. She noticed how he didn't feel any pain when she hit him. And he looked like it wasn't exhausting at all to press her against this wall like this for so long. He made it look as easy as simply touching her, but he had enough body tension to not allow her moving even an inch. So Catherine weighted her options- maybe his secret for hers? But first she had to consult somebody.

'I will make you a deal. If you let me go back to the house for 5 minutes to grab something, I will explain everything to you. _If_ you explain yourself some things to me. For example why you didn't even flinch when I hit you,' she suggested.

'Because you are weak,' he quickly answered- almost too quickly.

'And I take, that I also hallucinate? Because I could swear, that your eyes turned yellow when you got too mad,' she challenged.

'It's not for you to make conditions,' he said clenching his teeth.

'Take it or leave it. Your choice,' she stated firmly.

'How do I know that you won't try to escape?' he questioned.

'Because you probably would catch me,' she winked.

'Five,' he simply said and she was already rushing to towards the house.

Catherine knew that this man was more than a plain human. What could he do? She saw how he approached the house. Did he want to make sure she didn't escape, or did he want to eavesdrop? Eavesdrop? From outside the house? Well, now it was official- she was getting paranoid. But she had seen quite some thinks after all. She decided not to take any changes while making her way to the living room.

'Did you forget something?' Thomas Chandler asked her looking up from a book.

'Yeah, dad. Typical me', she chuckled while grabbing a notepad and a pen.

_-Got a problem. Man outside. He suspects. Don't talk. Write._

Thomas Chandler's face was shocked as he took the pen with a shaking hand.

_-How?_

_- Don't have time now. Tomorrow. Need to tell him the truth._

She continued writing when he saw Thomas go pale.

_-Not that. The grave. I know it's dangerous for you to spread the story. No other choice. Might be safer for us._

_- Do what you have to. Details tomorrow._

With his permission Catherine hurried to the storeroom. There she removed a panel from the wood floor and took out a package. She immediately headed to the door. She just hoped that her long training would pay off today.

'I was about to come in', the stranger simply said.

'Yeah right,' she rolled her eyes at his bluff, 'get in the car!'

'What?' he was obviously taken by surprise.

'You heard me, pretty boy. If you want some answers than you'd better get in the car', she clarified, 'and hurry. I have no desire on spending my whole evening with you.'

After riding a while they reached their destination- a cemetery.

'If you plan on killing me and burying my body here, your chances are quite slim', he said.

'Oh shut up and follow me,' she rolled her eyes.

She guided him through the graves stopping eventually in front of one.

'So now what?' he asked impatiently.

'This, my dear friend, is Lana Lang's last home,' she explained.

'Why should I be interested in some dead woman?' he grew even more impatient.

She shook her head, 'Just look at the picture!'

As he did like she requested his eyes grew wide.

* * *

**Well, it looks like Lana didn't only disappear from Smallville. What happened? How did she know Catherine? And why did this man mix them up in the first place and how will Catherine explain this to him. Do you think he will fulfill his part of the deal and tell Catherine his secret? What about all the secrecy with Thomas? **

**Do you think Clark will find out about Lana's death and if yes, how will he react? Will he investigate or is he too focused on Lois to actually care?**

**Give me some reviews with your ideas! I will try to update as soon as possible and I hope you enjoyed this chapter!**


	3. Chapter 2 - Lana's sacrifice

_**Second Chance**_

**In the previous chapter Catherine showed the stranger Lana Lang's grave. Now she has some explaining to do. Yet another sad chapter, but I promise it will pay out to stick around. **

* * *

**Chapter 2 – Lana's sacrifice**

The stranger still stood there with his jaw dropped.

_Lana Lang 23.09.1987-31.07.2011_

_A woman, who won't be forgotten._

The picture matched Catherine's face. The date matched the day of her graduation.

'I don't understand,' the stranger whispered.

'I will explain it to you,..,' Catherine said softly. Her obvious pause indicated that she wanted to know his name. He hesitated.

'You know mine. It is only fair,' she insisted.

'Vincent,' he simply said.

'So, Vincent, this going to be a long story,' she warned before she began.

'Three years ago I was working at a bar to pay for college. I was going to be a lawyer like my father. My car broke down one night, so I called my mother. Of course she came to pick me up insisting that I needed a new car. Next thing I know is someone blinding us with their car lights. They got out and just shot her cold blood. I didn't know what to do. I wanted to stay, to help her. But something told me that these men didn't shoot to injure. And I was right, she was dead. So I began to run to the nearby forest. They followed. When I tripped and fell, I thought it was over. They were there staring at me, one of them ready to pull the trigger. That is when she came.'

Catherine looked at the grave. Her eyes were sad.

'She was special, like you are. Let's leave it to that because this is not my story to tell. She killed them to save me. If it wasn't for her I would be dead now.'

'How did she die?' Vincent asked.

'You know that. You were there,' Catherine simply said.

'But how?' he was confused.

After she saved me, she brought me home. I was shocked by our resemblance, but she was confused herself. We looked _exactly_ alike. What were the chances of stumbling across your doppelganger let alone being saved by them? We wondered if our history trees met at some point of history but we had other problems at that time.

She explained some of her story and went to save the world- her dream. She eventually found herself in Africa helping people there. She called once in a while to see if I was ok. I never got any number to call her back. I didn't see her for years. This summer she came back. Somehow she had lost her abilities. She was as vulnerable as I am. She wanted to stay with us for a while and we gladly accepted. In the meantime I had changed profession. I didn't want to be a lawyer anymore. Law enforcement was my future now. I was almost done. On the day of my graduation I was in bed with a bad fever. I would miss my graduation. She offered to take my place. This way she said I would at least have photos. I thought that her offer was so sweet. It obviously wouldn't hurt anyone and I would actually be able to show people one of the most important days of my life. No one would notice, so I accepted. She is dead because of me- because I wanted nice graduation photos.'

There were tears running down her cheeks. Vincent didn't know why he did it but he found himself holding her in his arms.

'Shh, it is not your fault,' he reassured her.

'But it is,' she said in a weak voice. She pulled herself together. Vincent gave her a few moments to calm down completely. Once her tears were gone he mind started working.

'At first you were the one they announced dead. And then they just said that you were missing and so they_ assumed_ you were dead, but you never were. That doesn't exactly fit your story,' he accused.

'My dad knows people. He figured it wouldn't look good on my résumé so we decided to bury the story. Besides we didn't want to draw to much attention to Lana. She wouldn't want that. So instead there was a victim less and the official story is that I was under shock and left after killing him. That I kind of stayed away for two days because it was too much pressure to see so many of my future coworkers dead before we even started. I even went to therapy so it would be believable. I am sorry that I took credit for your job,' she came to an end.

'What about her family? Don't they deserve to know?' Vincent asked.

'It is complicated. After Lana got her…gifts, she left the people, who meant something to her. She didn't see any other way,' she said with a sad voice.

'I can relate,' he admitted.

'I told you my story. What about yours?'

He didn't speak. She saw though how he stiffened.

'Whatever your secret is, it can't be more intimidating than Lana's. And as you saw I am keeping it, even after her death. The only thing I said to you is that she was special. You don't have to worry. I understand that it difficult to be accepted when you are different, but I am willing to do that. I don't judge people by how normal they appear to be,' she assured him.

'Catherine we are not talking about acceptance here. I am talking about danger. Danger I could be in if they found out where I am. Danger you could be in if they found out that you know,' he said with a trembling voice.

'I already figured out that you are not like any other person. Don't give me details. Just tell me what you can do and why,' she suggested.

She could see the struggle in his eyes. He had more or less agreed to tell her the truth, but it was not easy to go through with it.

'Have you ever been to Smallville,' she asked surprising him.

'Smallville? Never heard of it,' he said confused.

'It is a small town in Kansas,' she explained.

'Why did you bring it up?' he was curious.

'Never mind, it's not important,' she shrugged it off.

'If you want me to trust you with my secret, you might want to show some trust yourself,' he smiled.

'It's nothing. Lana just mentioned it once or twice and I figured maybe you knew it, because you seem to have some special abilities as well. It was stupid', she quickly said.

'My condition has nothing to do with some small town. It has to do with a company. I used to be a soldier in Afghanistan up until nearly ten years ago. There they approached me for an experiment. They wanted to create super soldiers. At this point of my life I hadn't had anything to lose, so I accepted. Their serum changed my DNA. When the amount of adrenaline in my blood rises, I turn to some kind of beast. I am strong, fast, I heal. But I am also dangerous.'

While he said those things he was looking away from her.

'What is the company's name?' her voice was a mere whisper.

'I said enough. Anything else would only endanger you and me,' he clarified.

'Why?'

'Because after they saw that we didn't have control they eliminated the group. I was lucky to escape. If they find out I am alive, they will look for me,' he explained.

'Tell me who they are. I might be able to help!' she insisted.

'You maybe a cop, but that won't stop them from killing you if you dig your nose in their business,' he said harshly.

'I can look after myself.'

'I don't doubt that. Anyway you enlightened me about the mystery, so there is nothing more to say.'

'Wait! At least tell me your last name!' she insisted before he could turn away.

He hesitated for a moment and then said, 'Keller.' With this last word he left.

'I will find out who did this,' Catherine whispered in the dark.

* * *

**[Smallville (a week later)]**

Clark was sitting in the watchtower. There was not much to do at the moment; he just didn't want to go home yet. Lois has been acting weird lately. In fact she has been acting weird since she came back from Africa. He had asked her several times without getting an answer. It has been four months now. She was always suspicious and jumpy. When he came home he received questions such as "Where have you been" or "Why are you late". He didn't understand why all of this happened all of a sudden. It almost felt as if she was jealous. But why should she?

Clark was starting to fear that something happened in Africa. That she did something. Maybe it wasn't suspicion after all. Maybe it was quilt. But no, Lois couldn't have possibly cheated on him.

These thoughts were torturing him when Oliver came in.

'Clark, I stopped by your home. Lois said you would be here. What are you doing?' he asked.

'I just didn't feel like going home yet,' Clark said not really wanting to talk about it, 'what did you want?'

'Well Chloe told me something today,' he reluctantly started.

'Oh boy, don't tell me she is pregnant again!' his eyes grew wide. Their baby was only a few months old. Lois had missed his birth.

'NO! No, she isn't,' Oliver quickly assured.

'Looks like he is giving you a hard time,' Clark grinned,' so what is it then?'

'It is about Lana,' he replied carefully.

Clark froze. _Lana._ Normally nobody mentioned her. It still hurt to think about the day he saw her for the last time. No sign since then. No letter, no phone call. Nobody knew where she was. How he wished that she had stayed. Even if they were not together, seeing her, knowing that she was alright would give him some peace.

He quickly composed himself, 'What about her?' He wasn't sure if he could say her name out loud without Oliver noticing the pain in his voice.

'She..,' Oliver struggled for words, 'she is dead, Clark.'

Clark could have sworn that everything froze. His heart skipped a beat. His breath didn't want to come out. He slowly processed what he heard. Lana. Dead. No, this couldn't be.

'Very funny, Ollie,' he finally said, 'Lana is indestructible like I am. No, she is even more. Not even green kryptonite can harm her.'

'I don't know how it happened, Clark. All I know is it did,' Oliver's voice was empathetic.

'You are lying. It isn't possible. And how would you know anyway,' Clark insisted.

'Chloe,' Oliver simply said.

'Chloe what, Oliver,' Clark was clearly annoyed.

Chloe had assured him that she didn't know where Lana was. That Lana hadn't made any contact in the last three years.

'Lana used to contact her once a month. Asking about you,' Oliver eyed him carefully not knowing how his friend would react to this news.

'Chloe lied to me?' Clark felt enraged.

'She didn't have a choice. It was Lana's desire- even condition,' Oliver defended his wife.

'All this time she knew where Lana was and didn't bother say a word!' Clark raised his voice.

'She didn't know! Lana was very secretive. She didn't even have any way to contact her if Lana didn't want to. Lana used to write an email once a month asking how you are. It was a new account every time. She couldn't track her. Lana didn't want to be found,' Oliver explained.

'What did they talk about?' Clark asked in pained voice.

'Not much. She always sent the same message. "I hope you are alright, Chloe. Is he ok?" Only the first differed. In that one she told Chloe her conditions. Chloe wasn't allowed to tell anyone. Not even me, I only found out today. She also wasn't allowed to give specifics about you. The only answers allowed were "He is ok" or "He is not ok". Don't ask me why. When she didn't write in August Chloe tried to track her down. She found a grave in New York City. _Lana Lang 23.09.1987-31.07.2011 A Woman who won't be forgotten. _I'm so sorry man!' Oliver said tears forming in his eyes.

'It can't be. Even if she didn't contact Chloe, even if there is this grave, this can't be true. Lana can't be dead. Maybe she faked it! She has done that before!' Clark struggled to find an explanation.

Oliver's revelation was nagging on him. Lana was asking about him. Lana was supposed to be dead.

'Actually, it can be,' a familiar voice said reluctantly.

* * *

**So what did you think? Why does Catherine insist on finding out what company Vincent is talking about?**

**Is Clark right? Did Lana fake her death?**

**To whom does the voice belong?**


	4. Chapter 3 - Insecurity

_**Second Chance**_

**I know it has been a while, but university just consumes **_**all**_** of my time. I actually should be working on some experiments for tomorrow, but I just **_**need**_** a break.**

**I hope that there are still some people out there who read this fan fiction, because I really put some thought in it to balance the two series.**

* * *

**Chapter 3 – Insecurity**

_Previously: 'Actually, it can be,' a familiar voice said reluctantly._

* * *

'Lois?' Clark said surprised. He wasn't happy to see her. He actually didn't feel anything at that moment. His head struggled with the information he got. He wanted to scream at Oliver for putting him through this without a reason. Why did he tell him Lana was dead? She couldn't be.

Clark waited for her answer, but she just stood there. Guilt clearly written all over her face. Her eyes were glistening with the tears she was fighting back.

'What are you doing here?' he encouraged her to speak. His voice was gentle as always, but the impatience in his eyes was evident.

'Chloe gave me a heads up,' she explained, 'I wanted to see how you are doing.'

'I am fine. Chloe is mistaken. Lana is fine,' he stubbornly said. He was so focused on not letting them convince him, that he didn't catch the hurt in her expression.

Not that she had wanted any harm for Lana. It hurt her though to see how much it affected him. It was obvious that he wasn't able to accept it. He reminded her of a little boy that she met when the general dragged her with him to a camp. His mother was killed by a grenade. He didn't believe them either. He was just sitting on the ground with tears in his eyes, rocking back and forth. He kept repeating stubbornly, 'You are lying. Mommy will come any second. She promised. Why are you lying? You are mean! She promised! Mommy never lies.'

He was so lost. And yet not nearly as lost, as Clark was in this very moment.

_He still loves her._ Admitting it to herself hurt even more than watching him struggle with the news.

'She is not,' Lois voice was a mere whisper.

'Yes she _is!_ Lana is indestructible!' he insisted raising his voice.

Lois couldn't believe it. His so gentle voice was getting harsh because of her.

'You are wrong again,' she simply said, trying to stay composed.

His eyes were piercing holes through her now. He was angry; angry that she would try to convince him that his Lana was dead.

Lois sensed it. She gulped.

'Lana lost her powers,' she finally said. She had been playing with these words for four months now. She had never found the courage to form this sentence, though. Now it was inevitable. Now it didn't matter anyway.

'Don't talk rot! How would that be possible? And how would you know?' Clark was getting even more annoyed. One reason was, because he knew Lois didn't lie- ever. Deep down he knew that if she was telling him, Lana lost her powers that was probably what happened, or at least what she believed that happened. And if she knew that, she hadn't found out today.

'I was there. I saw it happening,' she said with a hoarse voice.

Clark didn't respond. His face hardened.

'Clark, say something, please!' she begged.

'Go on,' he simply ordered. Yes, it was an order. His voice was calm, but the command was still there, even if well hidden. One could sense the force that was building up inside him.

Lois gulped one more time. She knew that she had made a mistake. She hoped though, that he wouldn't care. And the feeling that she was hoping for nothing was too much to bear.

'The Angel of the Plateau, my story in Africa back in June,' she explained,' it was Lana.'

Clark clenched his fists on his sides. His jaw tightened.

Oliver noticed and put a hand on his arm to calm him. He looked his friend in the eyes as if to tell him not to snap, because he would regret it.

Lois noticed his reaction as well. She breathed in. _Well done, Lane_.

'She saved my life. But then everything went wrong. John Corben,' she tried to explain but Clark cut her off.

'Metallo? What did he do to her?' Clark panicked. He remembered all too well about Corben. About his new heart, that could absorb kryptonite. Was it possible that he could hurt her because of that?

Lois was reluctant. She wasn't ready for his reaction.

'Dammit, Lois! Tell me!'

Her eyes widened. Her sweet Clark was yelling at her because of another woman.

'He absorbed the kryptonite from her system- along with the nanites. The Prometheus suit is gone,' she said with a shallow voice. She felt like she hadn't control. Like she was observing the situation from far away.

'Why didn't you tell me?' his voice demanding once again.

That did it. She snapped.

'You really have to ask? Just look at yourself, Clark! This kind of behavior doesn't suit a guy who is supposed to have moved on! Do you honestly blame me that I didn't want to tell you, that you can go near her again? Because right now you are proving me right. I had every reason to be afraid that you would just run off to find her,' tears of anger and pain were streaming down her face.

'How dare you, Lois? How dare you hiding something like that because you feel insecure. We have been together for quite a while now. Have I _ever_ given you reason to be jealous? To be afraid that I might leave you? She was vulnerable again, Lois! And you just left her there, where so many people clearly wanted revenge from the Angel of the Plateau. If she's dead…,' Clark was furious now.

'It was _her _choice to stay. I didn't stop her! She obviously didn't want to come back to you. This might frustrate you, but it is not my fault!' Lois knew that it wasn't true. She just wanted to fire back. She had seen the sadness in Lana's eyes, when she talked about the side effects of the suit.

'Guys,' Oliver finally interfered, 'you are both upset. Just stop now, before you say anything you will regret later. Don't let this escalate.'

'Stay out of it, Oliver,' Clark quickly responded, 'so she didn't know that we are engaged?'

His voice was challenging. He already knew the answer. That is why she always looked so guilty. He just wanted her to admit it.

Lois hesitated, but then decided that at this point it didn't really matter.

'I told her that we are together. She saw the ring. I didn't mean for her to see it, I swear.'

Clark looked at her for a very long moment.

'What happened to the Lois I fell in love with? The Lois who cared for people, who wasn't selfish. When did you become the kind of woman that clings to a man and does everything to stay with him, no matter the cost? When did you become this insecure little girl? The Lois I know wouldn't want me if I didn't want her as well. She wouldn't want to keep me if I didn't want to stay. Why do you bother being with me if you believe that I would leave you for another woman?' his voice was hard, the disappointment evident.

'The moment I discovered that you had a choice. A choice you didn't have when we got together. That is when,' she simply answered.

'If she is dead, you are the one to blame. She stayed away because you rubbed the engagement ring in. If she had come back, if you had told us – if not me at least Oliver – we could have protected her. I really hope nothing happened to her.' 

With these last words he took off in full speed. His words were lingering in the room. Lois wasn't sure if they were a threat or mere desperation. Clark probably didn't know either.

She finally gave in to the tears completely.

It broke Oliver's heart to see her like that. He hugged the woman – no, the mess- that Clark had left behind, trying to soothe her.

But even though, Oliver didn't like seeing Lois crying like that. He couldn't blame his friend. He was as surprised as Clark that Lois would hide something like that out of insecurity. This wasn't something that reminded of Lois, indeed.

But then again this wasn't any woman like she said. It was Lana.

* * *

**Before you try to find and kill me, I d**_**on't**_** hate Lois. I think she has a pretty cool attitude. I simply used the fact than in the season 11 comics she **_**did**_** find Lana. Her insecurities were evident during the show. Towards Oliver, Clark, her father. So I played with the subject "even the purest people make mistakes". So yeah, Lois is a good person, but when it came to Clark and her fears she acted selfish.**

**Will it cost her Clark? Or will he calm down and come back to her?**

**Where did Clark go? Do you think he will search for Lana?  
**

**I know that some people will think that this behavior doesn't suit Clark. But we have seen him acting like this before. He can't be the sweet talking Clark when he is in agony.**

**Apart from that, Clark grew up in the last seasons. In my opinion he got more confident. So I just wanted to show the more powerful side of Clark.**


	5. Chapter 4 - Pain

_**Second Chance**_

**Well one of you guys wanted an update really, really badly, so I did my best to oblige. I hope that the long wait was worth it. In this chapter Smallville is meeting BATB directly. It will only be the very first encounter, thus it will not be very spectacular, but it will be important for the rest of the story.**

* * *

**Chapter 4 – Pain**

**[New York City]**

Clark came to a sudden stop at a dark corner of the cemetery. After rushing out of the Watchtower he hurried to Chloe. He hadn't had to say anything. She saw the pain in his eyes. She knew what he needed. He wanted her to say that _she_ was alive, but she couldn't do so. So she offered him the next best thing. Without him even asking she told him were Lana's body was. As soon as she formed the sentence he disappeared. From the way he acted she knew that Lois needed her right now.

Now Clark was scanning the cemetery for Lana's grave, hoping not to find it. Soon enough, though, he stood in front of it. He caught his breath. There was her name, her picture, her birthday engraved on the marble. In an attempt to prove it all wrong he x-rayed the ground. He hoped to find nothing. He hoped that Lana faked her death one more time. That she was safe and sound even if she was far, far away. But his hopes were in vain. A body was lying underneath the marble stone. Despite his immense powers Clark couldn't support his own weight. He fell onto his knees trying to breath.

_She is gone. She won't come back._ That is all he could think at this moment. He rested his hands on the marble like he wished he was just imagining it. That it would disappear under his touch. But it didn't. It was real, it was there. Tears escaped his eyes. They were pouring down his face without him being able to control it. A muffled sob escaped his mouth followed by a hiss. The sound of his emotional meltdown took him by surprise. He hadn't cried for Lana since he was with Lois. He had decided that she didn't deserve a man who cried over his former girlfriend. But now it didn't matter, did it? Lois had betrayed him. She didn't trust him anyway, so why should he feel guilty for expressing his feelings. Lana was gone and he had every right to mourn over her. The next sob wasn't hushed. It developed to convulsive sobbing. His whole body was shaking. His torso lowered under the force of the wave of emotions which shot through his system. The Man of Steel was lying there huddled and cried uncontrollably. Hours passed and eventually his Kryptonian body decided that the stress was too much to bear. He fell asleep hugging Lana's last residence.

* * *

A tall figure slowly appeared in the shadows, stopping in his tracks when he spotted Clark lying in the cemetery. Vincent was taken by surprise. He didn't expect to find anyone. It had been one week since Catherine brought him here. She told him that Lana had no relatives in New York City. That she only had an aunt far away, but Catherine didn't know how to contact her. Vincent had decided to investigate. He was a living lie detector so he probably would have figured out if Catherine was lying. For the first time since he became a beast though, he wasn't sure. He couldn't tell if she was lying. Either this woman was an extraordinary skilled liar or he was just starting to become paranoid. He couldn't sense any of the signals. No higher heart beat frequency, no sweat, no avoidance of eye contact. Still, something felt off. This story was plain strange. Why pretend to be someone just because of some photos? That is why he decided to come here. He figured that he might pick something up and follow the lead. The visitor was something he didn't expect. For a minute he debated whether he should go or stay. He didn't want to risk more people knowing. But considering that he had been a beast for ten years and had gained a respectable amount of control, was the risk really so high? He could just talk to him. He couldn't think of a reason to get a rush of adrenaline. The man didn't look hostile. In fact he had fallen asleep by her grave. He was probably mourning. He could be a relative. He possibly knew more about this Lana and could help him figure things out. And if Catherine was telling the truth about caring for her deceased friend, she should be thrilled if he actually discovered someone from her past. For a moment he listed the pros and cons. His curiosity won eventually. He couldn't shake the feeling that something was wrong and somehow he r_eally_ wanted to find out. The risk was worth it.

Slowly he approached the stranger. He reached out to touch him on the shoulder but he didn't come this far. The dark haired man jumped on his feet, a startled expression on his face.

'Hey there, easy! I didn't mean to scare you,' Vincent assured him.

The man looked confused and suspicious. 'Who are you?' His voice was confident and powerful, almost superior.

'Well, I was about to ask you the same question. You do realize that it is weird to sleep next to a grave, right?'

'I…I travelled from far away as soon as I heard. It was a long journey and I haven't slept since I departed. This person was very close to me, so seeing her grave added to my exhaustion,' Clark answered. This part of the story was actually plausible, so why not make use of it.

Vincent observed him from head to toe. He was tall, taller than he was. He had dark brown hair and light eyes. He was well built and had a remarkably kind face. He spoke the truth, though Vincent had a feeling that there was a hidden double meaning behind his words. He chose to ignore it for now. The man wasn't directly lying, so why bother exposing himself to find out the details.

'You knew Miss Lang?' he asked instead.

'Better than anyone,' the stranger answered. His eyes travelled to her picture. There was love in his eyes, as well as longing, pain and desperation. He was telling the truth, they were very close.

'Your girlfriend?' Vincent assumed.

'No, at last not in the last three years. Why are you asking these questions instead of visiting your beloved one,' the stranger suddenly demanded. It seemed as he started to leave his trance. Like he realized that he shouldn't give this kind of information to a stranger. He stiffened, which caused him to seem even taller. Vincent felt intimidated. This feeling confused him. No matter how impressive this man's physique was, he was just human; no match for him? Why did he feel threatened? He shook the feeling of. It was probably because he normally avoided contact with other people.

Vincent could feel the guard that suddenly surrounded his colloquist. He obviously intended to be more careful from now on, so Vincent had to find a way to keep him talking.

'I actually came here for her.' He caught the suspicious and at the same time surprised and hurt expression written all over Clark's face.

'It is not like that,' he quickly assured him,' we had a common friend. She brought me here the other day, because Miss Lang…helped her out. She wanted to pay her respects and tell a friend what an amazing woman she was. I was in the neighborhood and thought of her. That is why I came by.'

The troubled man seemed reluctant but nodded eventually. 'Yeah, that was Lana. Always helping people. She dedicated the last three years of her life helping people in Africa. She was…amazing.'

The word Africa caught Vincent's attention. So this part of Catherine's story was true then.

'So how come you weren't at her funeral if you were this close?' Vincent tried to gather information.

'She had been in Africa for the past three years as I said. We only found out recently.'

Vincent noticed how the man seemed to drift in his own world again. He had to act quickly.

'What is your name? Maybe I can give you information about her last years if my friend knows you,' he hopefully asked. He needed his name to investigate. The other however was reluctant once again.

'Where are my manners? Vincent Keller,' he surprised himself. He had just revealed his name without a second thought. He wanted to go to the bottom of this so badly, that he just did the first thing that came into his mind. He carefully tried to compose his face. The stranger didn't need to know, that he was mentally panicking. He only hoped that this stupid move would at least gain him the name he wanted.

His counterpart seemed to struggle with his thoughts. Eventually he decided that there was no harm in revealing his identity.

'Clark Kent. Nice to meet you, Vincent. I doubt that your friend knows me, though. What is her name?'

'I would rather contact her first,' Vincent tried not to make a big deal out of it.

Suspicion nestled in Clark's eyes, though. 'Well if that is the case, you should let me know.'

'How can I contact you?'

'Just tell me a time and I will be here,' Clark answered.

'I thought you were from far away,' it was Vincent's turn to be suspicious.

'When it comes to Lana, no distance is too great,' Clark simply said.

Once again Vincent noticed the sorrow in this man's eyes. 'Next week same time. I am really, sorry for your loss,' he sincerely said.

Clark simple nodded and turned around to leave.

Vincent stayed behind. He was determined to use this week for some investigation. He would find out anything he could about Clark Kent and Lana Lang. And he would find a way to make Catherine tell him what she was hiding. He didn't know why he had this feeling, but there was something unusual about this whole story. He just _had _to know. Every time he closed his eyes he saw a pair of hazel ones looking in back at him; wide open, dead. He wanted to know more about those eyes. 

* * *

**Yeah, the action in this one was kind of "meh", but I wanted those two to meet. I tried to find something about Kryptonians that would alert Vincent's sharpened senses, but couldn't. I just figured that Vincent has animal instincts. He is used to be stronger than anyone, so he has something like a bad feeling about Clark, because he is so much stronger than himself. If you have something more specific, let me know and I will edit this chapter. In the next chapter there will be more Catherine again. There will be a lot of investigation in this story. Everyone is digging for their own reasons. Clark, Lois, Chloe, Catherine, Vincent. Where will their research lead them? What is it that makes Vincent so anxious?**


	6. Chapter 5 - Looking for answers

_**Second chance**_

**Chapter 5 – Looking for answers**

* * *

**[New York City]**

* * *

Catherine was pacing back and forth in her apartment. She has been doing some digging about Vincent Keller. She desperately tried to find a link to Metropolis, but couldn't. It definitely was a situation that reminded of LuthorCorp. Had they spread to New York? She pulled every resource she could think of in order to connect the puzzle, to find some information on Vincent's condition. She sighed. Pacing around wasn't doing any good. She needed to calm down and think. She was good in things like that; figuring mysteries out, solving problems, finding information. She was a master by now. If there was something, even the slightest mistake, she would eventually find it. She had learned from the best after all.

All of a sudden she jumped to a sound coming from the window. She jumped around to see Vincent sitting on her fire escape, knocking on the window. Despite her searching for information, she didn't like Vincent very much. She sympathized as she knew how it was to have a secret and enemies, but that was it. He was annoying; interfering in other peoples' business. He practically forced her to tell him the truth like it was his right to threaten her. Still, she went with a sigh to the window and opened it. She needed some answers after all.

"I have a door, you know," she stated coldly.

"And I am supposedly dead, you know," he spit back. This woman was driving him crazy; in good and in bad ways. One minute he wanted to rip her head off for being so annoying and the other he was so attracted to her, that he wanted to throw her on the bed. This body, those eyes. The eyes troubled him the most. He could lose himself in them, but still, the feeling wasn't the same as in that fraction of a second when this woman was in his arms before the last breath left her body. Her glance, even though very short, had sent shivers through him. But Lana Lang was dead and Catherine Chandler was standing in front of him, very much alive. She was wearing black pants that were hugging her curves, along with a black, elegant turtleneck shirt. Her ankle boots gave the last touch on the outfit. It was simply but yet so classy. _Cut it out, Keller!_ He was there for a reason. He couldn't let her good looks get in the way of what he wanted, the truth.

"So what is a dead man doing in my apartment?" Catherine brought him back to the conversation.

"I visited your friend today," Vincent simply said. That hit a nerve, although the effect was very subtle even for him. This woman was very good in hiding her emotions. Damn good, a human would never notice. Vincent almost missed the slight tension of her body. How did she do it?

"I am talking about Lana," he clarified although he knew she understood. Who else could he be talking about after all?

"Yeah, I got that. Is it a hobby of yours? Visiting graves of people you didn't even know?" her voice was venomous. She clearly didn't like the fact that he wouldn't drop the subject.

"This isn't any woman. She died in my arms," Vincent reminded her.

"So you felt the need to come here and give me a report of your day? How did you even know where I live?" Catherine wasn't pleased and she didn't bother hiding it.

"You are forgetting that I found you at your father's house. After I read about Catherine Chandler being alive along with your face on the front page, portrayed as the hero who eliminated the killer, I did some research. And about my report, I thought I should inform you that I ran into somebody at the cemetery," he told her while eying her very carefully. The tension in her body was slightly more evident this time, but still very difficult to catch. Vincent had to concentrate very hard and still wasn't sure if he just imagined it because he wanted answers so badly.

"Well, people usually visit their beloved ones," she said calmly, like she didn't understand that he meant a visitor of Lana's.

"I didn't run into him at a random part of the cemetery but in front of Lana's grave. In fact he was having a nap there," Vincent clarified.

"Obviously a drunk, homeless person. I don't know why you felt the need to tell me," Catherine brushed it off.

"He was very sober. And I look more like a homeless person in my old clothes than he did. Besides, I talked to him. He was there for Lana," he elaborated looking directly in her eyes.

"He was? Lana never told me about a man from around here," she simply said not showing anything.

"Oh, he wasn't from around. He said that he travelled from far away just for her. Anything for Lana, he said. His name was…Clark Kent," he eventually told her, his glance challenging.

This time Catherine couldn't compose herself. Her eyes grew wide and her mouth opened a little bit. She caught her breath and her heartbeat was quickening. He had hit a nerve. She knew this man.

But Catherine snapped out of it very quickly, "She told me about him. They used to go out years ago. He probably found out and wanted to pay his respects."

"It didn't seem like a thing he did because it is what society requires. He was devastated. I told him that I would ask if you wanted to meet up with him and tell him about her life these last years." Vincent insisted.

The look on Catherine's face was like she was going to panic every second.

"Look, I really have to go. We will talk another time," she said in a shaky voice while pushing him towards the window.

"Wait, at least give me an answer," Vincent stood his ground.

"I can't right now. Bye!" she pushed one more time.

Vincent could have stayed if he wanted to. This woman's strength was no match to his own. He didn't though. He saw her reaction. Now the best thing to do was to watch her actions, so he left through the window.

Catherine quickly closed it and collapsed on her bed, breathing heavily.

"Clark," she breathed.

What she didn't know is that Vincent was still listening.

* * *

**[Metropolis]**

* * *

Clark entered the Watchtower. His emotions were a mixture of pain, confusion, anger and desperation. As the time was passing, though, another feeling surfaced; determination. Something was off in this story and he would find out what. His Lana couldn't be dead. It couldn't be. His love to her, his father's sacrifice, the times he fought for her, it couldn't be all for nothing.

"Clark," Chloe reluctantly spoke to him.

"Chloe, I want you to gather any information you can; from the moment she left to her…to her death. I ran into somebody into the cemetery. Vincent Keller, I want all you can find on him. And he told me about a woman in New York who knew La..her. Track her down," he sounded more determined than ever. He avoided saying her name out loud. even thinking of it pained him. He didn't want to find out what it would do to him if he actually said it.

"I will try, but your last request isn't an easy one" she answered.

"That is why I am asking you. Since when do you go for easy?" his smile didn't touch his eyes. He started heading out. He wanted to be alone, he needed it desperately

"Why does it even matter, Clark? It won't bring her back," Chloe asked carefully. Clark paused trying to compose himself. "I want to know what happened to her. I_ need_ to know," he finally sighed without turning around.

"Won't you ask me about Lois? She was pretty much a mess when you left," Chloe was even more careful. She wanted to bring Lois into the conversation from the very first minute but was hesitant. As much as she loved her cousin, she had screwed up big time and Chloe was afraid of the consequences.

"I don't want to hear anything about her for now, Chloe. I just want to go home and think," he sighed again.

"Well..." she hesitated. She didn't want to betray Lois, but she was afraid that something bad might happen if Lois didn't grant Clark his space.

"What is it Chloe?" Clark asked rubbing his forehead.

"She is at your place. She wants to talk to you, to explain. She doesn't want to lose you. She loves you, Clark," Chloe reminded him of Lois's feelings.

"Then I won't go home. I don't want to see her. I need to process things first. To find some answers. Then I am going to think about what I am going to do with this situation."

"What do you mean? Are you thinking about leaving her?," Chloe's eyes grew wide although subconsciously she expected it. But Clark was already out of the room, probably because he didn't want to answer that question.

"Great. This is just great," she sighed and dialed a number.

"He is not coming, Lois. Yes, I told him you were there. Because you would have gotten into a very big fight right now. Trust me, I know him," she spoke in the phone, pausing to hear Lois's answers.

Thing were bad, really bad.

* * *

**Author's note:** _Well, I have dropped a lot of hints in this one. I am waiting for someone to make the right guess. Someone wrote in a review that Vincent/Catherine romance is preferred, so I felt the need to elaborate. I love Catherine, but this fan fiction is going to be more about Lana. Dead or not, she will be in the centre of attention even if it doesn't look like it right now._

_If you want a story only about Vincent and Catherine, than your should check out "Reversed" my BATB story._

_But if you like twisted plots and are not all about the Vincent/Catherine romance without wanting to read anything else then stick to the story. A lot of things are going to happen ;)_


	7. Chapter 6 - Seek and hide

_**Second Chance**_

_**Author's note:**__ I see that some of you still don't know what I am aiming at. It is nice to be able to surprise you in later chapters. The ones who know what this story is about: good for you! You are observant. I hope you will enjoy the chapter and review.  
_

* * *

**Chapter 6 – Seek and hide**

**[New York]**

Catherine was sitting in her living room. She was still thinking about what Vincent said to her even if it had been three days. She was lost in thoughts, so she jumped when she hurt something in her bedroom. Before she could even react Vincent entered the living room.

"What do you think you are doing? You can't just come in here without my allowance!" Catherine was furious.

"Well, what am I supposed to do? Last time you just threw me out and didn't give me any way to contact you!" her raised voice immediately angered him.

"Maybe I didn't want you to contact me, ever thought about that?"

"Your are…uuuh," he let out a frustrated sound.

"Get out," he simply said.

"No, we need to talk," he said while approaching her.

"I am not in the mood to talk. Leave," she insisted.

"Dammit you are so stubborn it drives me crazy!" he growled. Before he could comprehend what he was doing and why, he grabbed her face and kissed her fiercely. There was so much passion and anger in this kiss that it surprised even himself.

After the first milliseconds of shock Catherine tried to push him away, but he wasn't having any of it. Eventually she gave up, twisted her fingers in his hair and moaned into his mouth. She needed to forget. Vincent could make her forget.

Without wasting another minute Vincent grabbed her buttocks and made her circle her legs around him. He moved his hands to her back and pressed her to his body while he moved them to her bedroom. He pushed her on the bed. His movements, similar to hers, where needy and passionate, not gentle at all. He undressed her very quickly and grew impatient while she did the same to him, her human speed not being fast enough to satisfy his desire. He crushed his lips on hers once again and when they left to travel along her neck too her breasts, her lips where already swollen. Biting, licking and sucking he made his way down, letting out a growl when he reached his destination. The growl was followed by a loud moan which escaped Catherine's lips.

* * *

Catherine woke up to an arm around her naked waist; a very muscular arm. Reality hit her out of a sudden. Images from the night before intruded her head, overwhelming her. The sensation of his tongue on her private parts and the orgasm that resulted from them, made its way to her mind. She remembered how it felt when she explored his body with her mouth and how pleased he was by her doing. She also remembered how it felt when he was inside her to the hilt, making her scream out of pleasure as he filled her completely. Flashes of yellow eyes and fangs on her flesh assaulted her brain. _What did I do?_

That is all Catherine could think about while she felt the arm around her flex. Vincent was waking up and she had to face him. 

* * *

**[Metropolis]**

Chloe was sitting in the Watchtower doing Clark a favor. It had been a week and a half since he had asked her to gather information on Lana. She started from the beginning, trying to find out where she sent the e-mails from. She had tried before and failed, but Chloe could see how desperate Clark was for answers. Unfortunately, it was a busy period of time for the League of Justice, so Chloe had neglected this urgent issue. Now she was doing her best to find anything that could help Clark relax and rethink his decisions.

Lois had come to her crying three days ago, a week after what happened. After Chloe's phone call she had left the farm and went back to her apartment at the Talon to give Clark some space. When he didn't react within a week she went to confront him and it went badly.

They got into a fight and Clark sent her away. He told her that he couldn't trust her anymore, that she wasn't the woman he thought she was. When she wanted to give him her engagement ring back, he refused to take it. She could keep it, he said. He didn't intend to get engaged again. He made this mistake once.

His words had hurt Lois deeply. She was staying with them since that day, occupying herself with her nephew to forget about Clark. Chloe knew that Clark was grieving and that was why he said those harsh words. Clark would never hurt Lois like that if he had been in his right mind. However, Chloe also knew that it hadn't been a lie. She knew Clark very well. He regretted the engagement. Now that Lana was gone he realized it had been a mistake. He cared about Lois a lot, he loved her. But she would always only have the second place in his heart. He had been to blind to see it and Chloe felt a little bit quilty for pushing things. She knew that what Clark felt for Lana was above everything else he ever experienced and yet she was so excited to see him and his cousin happy that she failed to protect them both from each other.

Chloe sighed. A very difficult time was ahead of them.

Her last attempt to find a lead came to a dead end as well. This Vincent Keller was no help at all. His background was very interesting though. She would have to dig a little bit more as soon as she had more time to her hands.

Chloe felt frustrated. Without much hope left she scanned now through the happenings in New York on the day of Lana's death. An article about a massacre at the police academy caught her eye. She opened it and read it; nothing too strange. Some guy shot several freshly graduated detectives amongst innocent bystanders and police officers. Lana was shot as well on that day. Chloe didn't know why, but she had a feeling that this wasn't a coincidence. She searched for more articles and found one from three days after the incident. When she opened it, she gasped.

"Chloe I need your help!" Lois rushed into the room.

Chloe quickly clicked her results away and turned to face her cousin.

"Chlo, are you alright? You look pale as death," Lois seemed to have forgotten what her visit was about.

"I'm fine. Just a little tired. I haven't eaten anything today as well," Chloe lied through her teeth.

"Chloe you must take better care of yourself. You have Gabe now, you have to be strong for him," Lois reminded her.

"I know, Lo. Don't worry. What did you want me for?" Chloe tried to change the subject.

"I need information on Lana's case. I have been sitting in your house for three days I have been crying and eating ice cream for nine. Either I will do something or I will become fat!"

Even in this state she didn't fail being Lois.

"I don't have anything," Chloe lied.

"Come one Chloe. Clark has you digging, I am sure of that. Just tell me what he found out in New York."

Chloe sighed. She knew that Lois wouldn't drop the subject, so she gave her one bit of information, the name 'Vincent Keller'. She thought it might be helpful, if Lois found anything out about him, while she was busy with her issues. It wouldn't lead her to Lana anyway, so it couldn't hurt.

As soon as Lois left, Chloe opened again the article. She still couldn't believe what she was seeing.

'_Catherine Chandler: Hero right out of the police academy'_

But it wasn't the headline that shocked her so much. It was the gigantic picture of the young woman in the middle of the page that she couldn't take her eyes from.

"What am I going to tell, Clark?" she whispered to herself.

* * *

_**Author's note:**__ I have noticed that many people complain about scene like the one in this chapter in other stories. Yes they slept together. Yes, they don't love each other. Deal with it, it happens every day out there and is perfectly normal, even if you don't approve of it. If you want to complain about the chapter in a constructive way than please do so. But please don't start with 'disgusting', 'how could you' etc. Thank you!_

_In my opinion it wasn't too descriptive, so I didn't change the rating. If you feel offended by that just tell me and I will change it to M._

_The title of the chapter doesn't refer only to how nearly every person in this story is searching for answers. I also refers to the fact that they are hiding from their fears, feeling and facts they know are true._

_Let me know what you think!_


End file.
